The present invention relates to a novel construction for a watch band.
Woven materials, such as cloth, fabric, nylon, polyester, cotton, and polypropylene, tend to fray, become loosened, unraveled, or un-woven on all “raw edges” or edges that are cut during the fabrication process in making a finished good. One such finished good on which this typically occurs is a watch band.
The “raw edges” on a watch band are typically the tip end and the holes that are cut for a buckle prong, which are high wear areas. As a user puts on and takes off the watch, the holes and tip become increasingly worn out as the weaker woven material contacts the metal buckle and the buckle prong. This repeated use reduces the durability and life of the watch band. In some cases, as a common practice, a grommet, eyelet, heat welding or other additional parts are added to protect the raw edge, but these remedies stick up above the base material surface such that they can be uncomfortable for the user and can be aesthetically and design limiting. Additionally, these remedies tend to not be very durable themselves.
Thus, there is a need for a watch band construction which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art watch bands. The present invention provides such a watch band construction. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings.